Recent Media Coverage of the Creation Museum

And Does AiG Really Say that Belief in a Young Earth Is Necessary for Salvation?

Because AiG’s Creation Museum is still drawing large crowds, the world’s media continue to cover the success of this latest entry in the ongoing creation/evolution battle.

Because AiG’s Creation Museum is still drawing large crowds (over 275,000 guests since its opening six months ago), the world’s media continue to cover the success of this latest entry in the ongoing creation/evolution battle. For example, a leading Japanese newspaper is sending a reporter and photographer to the Cincinnati-area museum tomorrow; over the past weekend, two leading U.S. newspapers printed articles that discussed the museum.

The New York Times Magazine on Sunday featured a long article on creationist geology, submitted by well-known religion-culture writer and commentator Hanna Rosin. It mentioned last summer’s geology conference at a fine Christian college, Cedarville University in Ohio, as well as the opening of our new museum.

In one of the most bizarre and incorrect statements made by a media representative since the museum opened in May was this comment by Rosin: “The museum sends the message that belief in a young earth is the only way to salvation.”

It’s remarkable how she could ever have gotten that message after touring the museum (in fact, we are checking to see if she has ever visited).1 As we are often clear to point out in the museum and elsewhere (e.g., even on November 15 on this site: Don’t Creationists Believe Some “Wacky” Things?), we don’t say or even imply that believing in a young earth is tied to salvation in any way. Salvation is by faith through Christ alone. Read Ken Ham’s blog for his commentary on why believing in a young earth is important, but is not connected to personal salvation at all.

It’s a shame that when a Times’s fact-checker called us several days ago to verify certain aspects of the almost-completed article, we were not asked to comment on this bizarre claim. It’s also a shame that some of AiG’s critics will consider using this statement—found in such a prominent paper, which is read worldwide—to attack AiG and the museum.

Our hometown newspaper, The Cincinnati Enquirer, which has earned a reputation for covering AiG and the Creation Museum in a fair and balanced way over the years, had a lengthy article (with photos) on the front page of its Sunday edition about the museum’s popularity. It also quoted two of our detractors, including one who says the museum is full of lies. But except for hostile comments like that and a phrase or two in the feature (e.g., the statement—which is not found on the paper’s website but in its print edition—that “accepted scientific theory states the Earth and its life forms evolved over billions of years”), we are appreciative of this balanced 6-month retrospective about the museum. It also told readers that visitors are pouring in from all over the nation (and many from overseas) and have added millions of dollars to the local economy.

Meanwhile, the Courier-Journal of Louisville (Kentucky’s largest newspaper) will soon print an article about the visit of an (yes) “evolution evangelist” to the Creation Museum, and his meeting with AiG molecular geneticist Dr. Georgia Purdom. As we await that article (which may appear on December 1), here is a previous Courier-Journal piece on his unusual “ministry.”

Lastly, Channel 12 (WKRC-TV) in Cincinnati last week posted a 12-question interview with AiG-U.S. President Ken Ham about the museum (it was conducted earlier this month). It can be read at: “12 Questions With . . . President of Creation Museum.” Thanks to supporters for their news tips. If your local newspaper ever carries an article, editorial, or guest column about the museum, please let us know about it.

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Footnotes

We did find out that Ms. Rosin did pay a quick visit to the museum (as reported by one of our museum staff). Because it takes a few hours to watch most of the videos and to read the signage (some visitors in fact have told us that it can take a whole day to take it all in), her cursory visit may have led her to make such a horrible mistake.